Heel-seat fitting machine



Nov. 13, 1934. E. A. BESSOM HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINE 12 heets-Sheet 1Filed Dec 24 1932 E. A. BESSOM 1,980,371

HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24, 1932 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 13,1934.

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HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24. 1932 12 she etshet. 6

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HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24, 1932 12 Sheets-Sheet 7 Hiiii QW25E //v VEN 70R.

Nov. 13, 1934. E A. BEssoM HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINE F iled Dec. 24,1952 12 Sheets-Sheet a Nov. 13, 1934. E. A. BESSOM 1,980,371

HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24, 1932 '12 Sheets-sheet 9 Nov.13, 1934. BESSOM 1,980,371

HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24, 1932 12 Sheets-Sheet 10 Fig.Z3.

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HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24, 1932 12 Sheets-Sheet 11 Fig. 2

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HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24, 1932 12 Sheets-Sheet 12 1 $3M A22m I 1?: /////////////MlI El i. i w 162 patented Nov. 13, 1934 warrens'rATEs HEEL-SEAT FITTING MACHINE Earl A. Eossom, Marblehead, Mass.,assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. 5., acorporation of New Jersey Application December 24, 1932, Serial No.648,792

es Claims. (01. 12-315) 1 This invention relates to the manufacture ofshoes and is illustrated as embodied in a heel-seat fitting machine.

In preparing shoes for the reception of wood 5 heels it is customary totrim the margin of the heel-seat portion of the sole of the shoe,thereby to provide a reduced heel-seat portion shaped for receptionWithin the concave attaching face of the heel of the shoe, and to format opposite sides of the reduced heel-seat portion a pair of laterallyextending shoulders against which the breast of the heel abuts. Thereduced heel-seat portion of the sole should be shaped to engagesubstantially the entire attaching face of the heel in order to providea solid foundation of considerable area for supporting the heel, andshould be reduced sufficiently to permit the rim of the attaching faceof the heel snugly to engage the counter portion of the shoe upper.Moreover, the laterally extending shoulders should be accuratelypositioned lengthwise of the sole in order to engage the breast of theheel of the finished shoe.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved machine by theuse of which the heelseat portions of the soles of shoes of differenttypes of construction can be effectively and rapidly fitted for thereception of either Cuban or Louis heels. Another object of thisinvention is to provide an improved machine of the general typedisclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,307,284, granted June17, 1919 on an application filed in the name of Samuel J. W entworth.

One type of machine which has been used successfully for fitting theheel-seats of shoes, the soles of which are stitched or stapled totheshoe uppers, for the reception of wood heels, is disclosed in UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 1,856,057, granted April 26, 1932 on anapplication filed in the names of Bagshaw and Wardle. In the ma- -l0chine disclosed in said Patent No. 1,856,057 the heel-seat portion ofthe sole of a shoe, after being positioned upon a matrix or crease platewhich is constructed and arranged to engage the rand crease of the shoeand is provided with a U-shaped opening, has its margin pressed againstthe plate by a presser member while a bulger forces the central part ofthe heel-seat portion of the sole through the opening and beyond a faceof the plate. After the heel-seat portion of the sole has been properlydistorted and clamped, a reciproeating cutter, commonly referred to as aheelseat reducing or having its cutting edge in engagement with theabove-mentioned face of the matrix plate, is

tongue-forming cutter and moved forwardly to trim the margin of theheelseat portion of the sole thereby reducing the heelseat portion andproviding a tongue shaped for reception within the attaching face of theheel which is to be attached to the shoe. After the heel-seat portion ofthe sole has been trimmed, a pair of cutters are operated to formheel-breast receiving shoulders upon the sole and to remove from thesole the U-shaped chip trimmed from the heel-seat portion of the sole bythe back cutter.

When the hee1-seat portions of soles of compo shoes are distorted in themanner above described, the cement bond which secures the sole to theshoe upper is likely to be split forwardly of the breast line with theresult'that the rear end of the shank portion of the finished shoe isnot secured properly to the shoe upper. This condition may also becaused by using a matrix plate, the forward end of which is of suchthickness as to cause the sole at its heel breast line to be pulled toofar away from the shoe upper or it may be caused by using a matrix platewhich extends forwardly of the heel breast line of the sole.

I The illustrated heel-seat fitting machine which constitutes apreferred embodiment of my invention, is of thegeneral type abovereferred to and is constructed and arrangedeffectively and quickly toprepare the heel-seats of shoes for the reception of heels whether thesoles of the shoes are stitched. stapled or adhesively secured to theirrespective. shoe uppers. In order to insure that the sole will not besplit forwardly of the breast line when the heel-seat of a compo shoe isfitted for the reception of a heel, the illus- 90 trated machine'isprovided with matrix or crease plates having their forward portions ofsuitable shape to enter the rand crease of the shoewithout substantiallydistorting the sole. Furthermore, the back gage of the machine isinitially positioned at a predetermined distance from the forward edgeof the matrix plate so that when the shoe engages the back gage, theplate will extend to, but not forwardly of, the heel-breast line of theshoe. To prevent the distortion of the heel-seat portion of the solefrom breaking the sole-attaching bond forwardly of the breast line, theillustrated machine is provided with mechanism constructed and arrangedto operate knives forforming the heel-breast receiving shoulders uponthe sole supported by the matrix plate before the bulger is operated todistort the heel seat portion of the sole preparatory to reducing a theheel-seat portion.

.The heel-seat reducing, cutter in moving forwardly of the sole forcesthe heel portion of the shoe away from the matrix plate and therebycauses the shoe to pivot progressively about the heel-breast line of thesole of the shoe. When the heel-breast receiving shoulders are formedprior to reducing the heel-seat portion of the sole, it will be notedthat the margin of the heel-seat portion which holds the shoeagainstforward displacement under pressure of the heel-seat reducing cutter isremoved from the sole by the cutter during the heehseat reducingoperation. Accordingly, when the shoulder-forming cutters of a machineof the type above described arewith-- drawn from the sole immediatelyafter the heelbreast receiving shoulders have been formed, it, will benoted that as the heel-seat reducing cutter arrives at a positionadjacent to the heelbreast line of the sole, the forward pressure exerted against the sole by the cutter frequently causes the U-shaped chipto be torn fromthe sole adjacent to thepreviously formed heel-breastreceiving, Y shoulders, thereby forming ragged lumps at theforwardlateral portions of the reducedhe'el-seat. Theoperator usually grips theforward part of the shoe while the sole is being trimmed and does notresist the above described pivotal movement of the. shoe, sincesuchresistance would cause the breast portion of the shoe upper tobeforced away from the clamped margin of the heel-seat portion of thesole and would, therefore, increase the tendency of the ,U-shaped chipto be pulledfrom the sole. When the U- shapedchip is torn from the sole,as above described, the operator isrequired to remove from the sole theragged lumpsof leatherwhich inte'rfere with the accurate positioning ofthe heel on the shoe.

With the foregoing in view the illustrated machine, in. accordance witha feature of this invention, is provided with a shoulder-forming cuttenfor making incisions in a sole to form heelbreast receiving shouldersupon the sole, a heelseat reducing cutter movable forwardly of the sole,and mechanism for operating the shoulderforming cutter in timed relationwith the heelseat reducing cutter and for causing theshoulderforming'cutter to remain in the incisions as the heel-seatreducing cutter trims the sole, thereby to. brace the sole against theoperating pressure of the heel-seat reducing cutter.

It is desirable that substantially the entire margin of the heel-seatportion of thesole be securely clamped to the matrix plate while thecentral part of the heel-seat portion'is being forced through theU-shaped opening andywhile the heel-seat ,reducing or tongue-formingcutter is reducing the heel-seat portion of the sole, in order that thesole will betensioned around the bulger and to prevent thetongue-forming cutter from pulling the margin of the heel-seat portionthrough the U-shaped opening. The margin of the heel-seat portion of thesole is seldom of uniform thickness and in order to clamp substantiallythe entire margin of the heel-seat portion of the sole against thematrix plate, and in accordance with a further feature of the invention,an illustrated pressermember, which clamps the margin of theheelseatportion-of the sole against the matrix plate preparatory to distortingand reducing the heelseat portion of the sole, is provided with a plurl't of art", at least one of which is movable a l y p a rightangles tothe plane of a sole positioned uponunder pressurerelativelyto the otherparts. Each of the three illustrated presser members vis mounted to tiltas a unit asnit presses the sole against the matrix plates, Thepressermembers may be constructed of a plurality of sole-engaging partswhich are pivotally movable relatively to each other, as illustrated inone embodiment of the invention, or may be provided with a U -shapedsole-engaging member made of rubber or like substance, as illustrated inanother embodiment oi the invention.

When a shoeis being inserted lengthwise in a heel-seat fitting machineprovided with a solesupporting plate, it sometimes happens that as theoperator moves the shoe rearwardly of the machine toward the back stop,a nail which has not been properly driven into the heel-seat portion ofthe shoe engages the plate. When this occurs the operator, thinking thatthe rear portion of the shoe upper has engaged the back stop, may

, operatethe machine with the result that the reduced heel-seat portionis not properly positioned upon the sole. In order to enable theoperator to tell at a glance when the shoe is positioned properlylengthwise, the illustrated machine, in

accordance with another feature of the invention is provided with aslide mounted for movement under pressure of the shoe, a stopconstructed and arranged for engagement with the slide to limitthe'movement of the same, means to adjust the stop, and a visibleindicator which assumes a predetermined recognizable position when thememher is in contact with the stop.

Soles of shoes having their heel-seats fitted for the reception of heelsare frequently thick as well as dry and in order to force the centralparts of the heel-seat portions of such soles through'the U -shapedopening as much as 3,000 pounds of pressure is frequently required. Inorder to increase the production of the machine and to relieve-theoperator of the burden of distorting the sole, the illustrated machine,in accordance with another feature of the invention, is provided with astop for limiting the movement of the bulger toward the matrix plate andwith power-operated mechanism comprising a spring-yielding mem her andan abutmentwhich engages the stop during each cycle of operation of themachine, to insure that the bulger, will force the central parts of theheel-seat portions of dry soles of different thicknesses through theU-shaped opening of the matrix.

As already stated, the margin of the heel-seat portion of the positionedshoe is clamped against the illustrated machine is provided withmanual-,

ly operated means for forcing the presser member against the solepositioned upon the plate with an initial pressure, and withpower-operated mechanism which applies a secondary pressure to thepresser member and operates the bulger for forcing the central part ofthe heel-seat portion of the sole through the U-shaped opening Theshoulder-forming cutter of the illustrated-- the matrix plate. Whenoperating upon welt Work there is a tendency for the above-mentionedknives", especially whensuch knives become dull,

to bend the end portions of the weltdownwardly instead of severing thesame, together with the sole, to form heel-breast receiving shoulders.Accordin ly, the illustrated machine may be equipped withshoulder-forming knives which are mounted for movement in equal andopposite directions along the forward edges of the matrix plate. Theillustrated transversely moving knives are power operated and formheel-breastreceiving shoulders upon the sole before the heel-seatportion of the sole is substantially distorted by the bulger andpreferably come to rest temporarily, after forming the heel-breastreceiving shoulders, in order to support the sole against displacementby the heel-seat reducing cutter and to serve as anvils against whichthe heel-seat reducing cutter operates.

In a machine of the type herein illustrated the U-shaped chip, which isremoved from the heelseat portion of the sole, remains upon the matrixat the termination of the heel-seat fitting operation. In order toremove the chip from the matrix plate at the end of each operation, theillustrated machine is provided with a pivotally mounted chip ejectorwhich is positively operated by mechanism carried by the sole clampingand distorting plunger.

In fitting the heel-seats of soles for the reception of Louis heels, itis sometimes the practice to provide at opposite sides of the base ofthe reduced heel seat a pair of laterally extending shoulders whichtaper rearwardly of the sole and are inclined at a slight angle to theplane of the sole. The illustrated machine can be quickly equipped toprovide heel-breast receiving shoulders of the type above described byinserting a short matrix plate in the machine and by removing thecarrier to which the shoulder-forming knives are attached from themachine and substituting therefor a member having a sole-engagingsurface inclined to the path of movement of the heel-seat reducingcutter and constructed and arranged to press the lateral portions of thesole which are positioned forwardly of the matrix plate, across the pathof movement or" the cutter. The sole-depressing member also holds downthe lateral portions of the sole, which are positioned immediately inadvance or" the breast line, against the shoe upper during thesole-distorting operation and thus prevents the distortion of theheelseat portion of the sole from splitting the soleattaching bondforwardly of the breast line when the shoe is operating on compo work.The angle which the shoulders form with the plane of the sole dependsupon the inclination of the sole-enprogresses forwardly of the sole tothe incisions while utilizing such incisions to prevent forward movementof the sole during the heel-seat reducing operation.

With the above and other objects and features in view, the inventionwill now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings andthe illustrated Fig. -2is a side elevational view of the operating headof the machine illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side View showing portions of the operatingmechanism of the machine when the treadle, which is operated to clampthe work against the matrix plate and actuates the trimming mechanism,is in a lowered position;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the relative positionsof the sole of a shoe and parts of the operating head of the machineafter the sole has been initially clamped against th matrix plate;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view corresponding to Fig. 4 but showing therelative positions of the sole and the parts of the operating head ofthe machine after the heel-breast receiving shoulders have been formedand after the central part of the heel-seat portion of the sole has beenforced through the matrix plate preparatory to reducin the heel-seatportion of the sole;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to that shown in Fig. 5 andillustrating the relative positions of the sole of the shoe beingoperated upon and the parts of the operating head of the machine as theheel-seat reducing cutter arrives at the forward end of its stroke tocomplete the heel-seat fitting operation;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the operating head taken alongline VIIVII of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 shows a sectional view taken along lin VIIIVIII of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing mechanism for positioning the soleof the shoe upon the matrix plate, part of the mechanism being brokenaway in order better to illustrate the construction thereof;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the shoulderforming cutter and a cuttercarrier which is partly broken away to show the interior construction of3;;

the same; i

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken along line XI-XI of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken along line ducing cutter and a cuttercarrier for securing the' cutter to an operating member;

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of one form of presser member;

Fig. l7'is a perspective view of the form of presser member shown asincorporated in the" illustrated machine; 1

Fig. 18 is a perspective view of a modified form of presser member whichis similar to that shown in Fig. 1'7;

Fig. 19 is a perspective view of the rear end of a shoe the heel-seatportion of the sole of which has been fitted for the reception of aCuban heel;

Fig. 20 is a perspective view of the rear end of a shoe the heel-seatportion of the sole of which has been fitted for the reception of aLouis heel;

Fig. 21 shows in perspective the U-shaped chip that has been removedfrom the heel-seat portion of the sole illustrated in Fig. 19;

Fig. 22 is a sectional view taken along line XXII-XXII of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 23 is a front elevational view of the head of the illustratedmachine equipped with knives which move transversely of the solepositioned upon the matrix plate to form heel-breast re- 153 ceivingshoulders upon the sole, and a carrier for supporting and operating theknives;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the shoulderforming knives and thecarrier illustrated in Fig.

Fig. 25 is a sectional view taken along line XXV-XXV of Fig. 24; Fig. 26is a side elevational view partly in section of the operating head ofthe illustrated machine equipped with a presser plate for forcing thelateral margins of the sole positioned forwardly of the matrix plateacross'the line of travel of the heel-seat reducing cutter to form areduced heel-seat portion of the sole and heelbreast receiving shoulderssuch asfillustrated in Fig. 28;

Fig. 27 is a perspective view of portions of the machine illustrated inFig. 26, part of the machine being broken away to show the shape of theheel-seat portion of the sole after it has been flexed preparatory totrimming the sole; and Fig. 28 is a perspective View of the rear end ofa shoe, the heel-seat portion of the sole of which has been operatedupon in the machine equipped as illustrated in Figs. 26 and 27.

' The illustrated machine is described with reference to the performanceof the heel seat fitting operation on soles 30 (Fig. 19) attached toshoe upperswhich operation consists in forming upon the sole,heel-breast receiving shoulders 34 against which the breast of a Cubanheel 33 abuts, and in trimming the heel-seat portion of the sole toprovide a tongue or reduced heel-seat portion 32 shaped for receptionwithin the concave attaching or cup face of the heel.

The illustrated machine comprises a matrix or crease plate 36 (Fig. 1)provided with a U- shaped opening 38 and constructed and arranged tosupport the heel-seat portion of the sole 30, a U-shaped presser member40 mounted for vertical movement to clamp the margins of the heelseatportion of the sole against the plate 36, a pair I of cutters or knives42 which move past forward or breast edges 44 of the matrix plate 36 toform the heel-breast receiving shoulders 34 upon the sole, a bulger 46.(Figs. 4, 5 and 6) mounted for vertical movement to force the centralpartof the heel-seat portion of the sole through the opening 38, and acutter or knife 48*mounted for horizontal movement along the bottom faceof the matrix plate 36 to trim the margin of the heelseat portion of thesole to form the tongue or reduced heel-seat portion 32.

Itwill be noted that the illustrated machine is equipped to fit theheel-seat portions of soles for the reception of Cuban heels 33 (Fig.19) 'as distinguished from Louis heels 3'7 (Fig. 2G). The heel-breastreceiving shoulders 34 are of convex form in order to receive theconcave breast of the Cuban heel 33 and heel-breast receiving shoulders50 (Fig. 20), against which the forward edge of the projecting lip ofthe Louis heel 3'7 abuts, usually lie in a single plane extending atright angles to the lengthwise median plane of the sole. Althoughthemachine is illustrated with reference to Cuban work, it may be readilyequipped for operating upon Louis work as will later be explained.

As already stated, when heel-seat fitting machines of the type whichsubstantially distort the heel-seat portions of soles are used, it hasbeen found that the sole in the vicinity of its breast line 52 (Figs. 19and 20) is often distorted to such an extent that stitches which securethe sole to the shoe upper and are positioned forwardly of the breastline 52 are loosened. Such a condition is objectionable, and in fittingthe heel-seats of compo shoes, the soles of which are attached by cementto the shoe uppers, the substantial distortion of the heel-seat portionof the sole is not permissible since the "distortion breaks the cementbond by which the sole is attached to the shoe upper, forwardly of thebreast line 52 of the sole.

The shank portions 54 (Figs.,19 and 20) of soles attached to shoes aresometimes laterally curved and it will therefore be noted that when thesole supporting plate 36 is substantially planar as illustrated, therewill be a slight distortion of the lateral margins of the sole forwardlyof the breast line 52 as the plate 36 engages within the rand crease ofthe sole. Such distortion, however, is not sufiicient to break thecement bond forwardly of the breast line.

With the above and other considerations in view, the illustrated machineis constructed and arranged to form the heel-breast receiving shoulders34 before the heel-seat portion of the sole is substantiallydistortedand therefore prior to trimming the heel-seat portion of thesole to form the tongue or reduced heel-seat portion 32. The upper andlower faces of the matrix plate 36 (Fig. 14) converge as they extendforwardly of the plate and terminate in the feather of breast edges 44constructed and arranged to enter the rand crease of the shoe as farforwardly as the breast line 52 without substantially distorting thesolein the vicinity of the breast line. In operating upon McKay work thelines of sole-attaching stitches often extend rearwardly of the breastline and for this reason the breast edges 44 are sometimes sharpened topermit the operator, by forcing the shoe rearwardly of the machine, tocut the stitches which extend rearwardly of the breastline 52, therebyfacilitating the accurate positioning of the shoe lengthwise in themachine. Afterthe heel-breast receiving shoulders 34 have been formed,the heel-seat portion of the sole can be substantially distorted,

preparatory to reducing the heel-seatportion of the sole, withoutdistorting portions of the sole positioned forwardly of the heel breastline 52.

The operating parts of the illustrated machine are supported in a mainframe 56 (Fig. 1) having an offset platform 58 provided with opposedslots 60 (Fig. 7) shaped to receive interchangeably one of a pluralityof matrix plates 36 provided with U-shaped openings 38 of various sizesand shapes according to the size and the shape of the heel-seat desired.Each of the plates 36 is provided with a recess 62 (Fig. 14) forreceiving a pin 64 carried by the platform 58 and normally held inengagement with the recess 62 by a spring 66, one end of which issecured to the pin 64 and the other end of whichis screwed to theplatform 58. The portion of the plate around theU-shaped opening 38 iscut away to provide a beveled face 68 extending from one end of theopening to the other and terminating in a feather edge '79 which lies ina plane and defines the size and shape of the reduced heel seat portion32 of the sole.

The sole of the shoe is positioned lengthwise uponthe matrix plate 36 byengaging the rear portion of the shoe upper withv a back gage '74 (Figs.4 and 5) slidably mounted in the main frame 56 and normally urged by aspring '76 forwardly of the machine relatively to an adjustable stop orstop plate '78, the lengthwise position of which is controlled by a heelgage (Figs, 1, 2 and'B).

In order to centralize the rear portion of thesole the illustratedmachine is provided with a slide 82 (Figs. 4, 5, 7 and 9) mounted uponthe stop plate 78 and having a bifurcated portion 84 normally urged intoa forward position with respect to the stop plate 78 by springs 86 (Fig.9), the arrangement being such that as the shoe is moved rearwardly ofthe machine the rear counter portion of the shoe engages the bifurcatedportion 84 and is moved rearwardly against the pressure of springs 86until the rear end of the shoe engages the back gage '74 which, togetherwith the bifurcated portion 84, is moved rearwardly against the spring76 until stopped by the adjustable stop plate '78.

The heel gage (Figs. 1, 2 and 8) comprises a table 88 for engaging theattaching face of the heel, a block 90 shaped for engagement with thebreast of the heel and a movable abutment 92 provided with an offset arm94 which is attached to the adjustable stop plate '78. In order toadjust the stop plate 78 in accordance with the length of the heel to beattached to the shoe the heel is placed, attached face downwardly, onthe table 88 with the breast of the heel engaging the block 90, and theabutment 92 is then moved into engagement with the rear end of the rimof the.

attaching face of the heel. Such a movement is effected by swinging apivotally mounted hand lever 96 (Figs. 1 and 2), which is journaled in abearing 98 and is secured to a cam 100, relatively to an index or latchplate 103. The cam 108 is provided with a groove 102 (Fig.4) shapedandarranged to receive a cam roll 104 mounted upon a depending pin 106secured to the adjustable stop plate '28 which, as above stated, isconnected to the abutment 92 of the heel gage.

Although the machine is described as comprising a gage 80 which actuallymeasures the heel, and mechanism which connects the gage and the stopplate '78 to position the stop plate in accordance with the length ofthe heel being measured, it will be understood that the stop plate 78may be positioned by using a size scale 101 formed upon the index orlatch plate 103. It has been found that heels which are supposed to beof the same size vary slightly in length and for this reason it ispreferable to gage from the heel.

The illustrated heel gage 80 is adjusted for the reception of Cubanheels, the rear face 108 of the block 90 being curved and located in apredetermined position upon the table 88. When it is desired to measureLouis heels the block 90 is turned 180 about a pin 109 (Fig. 8) so thata straight face 110 engages the lip of the projecting part of the breastof the Louis heel which is to be measured. In order accurately toposition the block for gaging Louis and Cuban heels, the block isprovided at its under side with a pair of recesses 112 either of whichmay be swung into registry with a spring-pressed plunger 114 (Fig. 2)carried by the table 88. The abutment 92 can be adjusted relatively tothe offset arm 94 by a screw and slot connection 116 (Fig. 8) in orderinitially to set the adjustable stop plate 78 and the abutment 92 inpredetermined relative positions.

As above stated, in fitting heel-seats for the reception of heels, itfrequently happens that when the operator moves the shoe rearwardly tocause the matrix plate 36 to enter between the sole and the overlastedmargin of the coimter portion of the shoe, an upstanding nail engagesthe matrix plate and prevents further rearward movement of the shoe.When this occurs the operator, thinking that the back gage '74 has beenpushed againstthe stop plate- 78, operates, the machine with the resultthat the reduced heel-seat portion of the sole is not properly po-isitioned for the reception of the heel. In order to insure against thiscondition, an indicator 118' (Fig.8) is secured to the offset arm 94which, connects the stop plate 78 and theabutment 92 and anotherindicator 120 is secured tothe back gage '74. When the back gage '74 hasbeen moved.

rearwardly against the stop plate ,78 the indicators 118, 120 are inalinement as illustrated.

in Fig. 8 and it is therefore possible for the;

operator to tell at a glance when the shoe has been properly positionedlengthwise.

To assist the operator incentralizing the shank;

portion of the shoe being operated upon, the illus:

trated machine is provided with an arm 122 (Figs.

1 and 2) which lies in the vertical central plane 124 (Fig. 8) of thematrix plate 36 and can be swung into different adjusted positions upona screw 126. Y Y

The presser member 40 is operatedbyasleeve 130 which is mounted forreception in a bearing, portion 132 of the main frame 56 and is bored toreceive a rod 134 to the lower end of which the bulger 46 is attached.In order to insure that the sleeve 130 and the rod 134 will not turnabout their common axis during the operation of the machine, the bearingportion 132 is pro--; vided with a threaded opening-136 (Fig. 7) forreceiving a screw 138 provided. with a reduced portion which is shapedto fit an elongated slot 140 formed in the sleeve 130 and asmallerportion which engages an elongated recess 142 out in the side of the rod134. The lower part of the sleeve 130 is provided with an enlargedhousing 144 having a pairof oppositely-disposed U-shaped slots 146constructed and arrangedto receive interchangeably one of a plurality ofpresser members or clamps 40 of various sizes and shapes. The sleeve 130is supported by an enlarged flange portion 148 of the'rod 134 and" isnormally held in engagement with such por-- tion by a spring 150 encasedwithin a cylindrical housing 152 which is mounted upon therod. 134. Theupper end of the cylindrical housing normally engages a nut, 154 whichis in. threaded relation with the rod 134 and is therefore adjustablealong the same to insure that the bulger in its lowered position (Figs.5 and 7) will extend arranged to abut against shoulders 164 (Fig.4) ofthe enlarged portion 148 in order further-to,

insure that the bulger 46 can not turn with respect to the rod 134.

It is desirable to clamp the sole against the beveled face 68 (Fig. 14)of the matrix plate 36 in order that the sole will be tensioned aroundthe bottom of the bulger 46 as the bulger forces the central part of theheel-seat portion of the.

sole through the opening 38 andbelow the lower face of the plate 36.Accordingly, the presser member 40 leads the bulger 46 as the rod 134 ismoved downwardly, through mechanism which I will be described later, andclamps the sole to the plate 36 before the bulger 46 becomes effec-'tive. As the bulger 46 forces the sole through the opening 38 the spring150, which is compressed by the downward movement of the rod 134, forcesthe presser member 40 with considerable pressure against the solesupported on the matrix plate 36.

As already explained, it is desirable that substantially the entiremargin of the heel-seat portion of the sole be pressed against thecrease plate 36 as the bulger 46 forces the sole through the opening 38and during the operation of the heel-seat reducing or tongue-formingknife 48. The practice of operating upon soles prior to theperforming'of the heel-seat fitting operation is not uniform, themargins of heel-seat portions of the soles sometimes being skived duringthe shank-reducing and channeling operation as far as their rear endsand sometimes being skived only to the breast line of the sole.Moreover, the shank reducing or channeling cut often runs farther backon one side of the sole than on the other so as to form a sole, theheel-seat portion of which is much thicker at one side than at theother. Although it is desirable to clamp the sole around the entiremargin of its heel-seat portion it has been found that if the rearportion'of the sole and portions of the lateral margins positionedadjacent to the breast line 52 of the sole are clamped, the sole will besuitably tensioned by the bulger 46 preparatory to reducing theheel-seat portion of the sole. With the foregoing in view, the pressermember or clamp 40 (Fig; 17) has been found to be effective incompensating for variations in thickness of the margin of the heel-seatportion of the sole. The clamp or presser member 40 has the generalshape of the letter U and comprises a bight portion 166 pivotallymounted upon a pin 168jour- 'Jnaled in projections 1'70 of aplate 1'72comprising leg or side portions 1'74. The leg portions 174 may be formedintegrally with or maybe screwed or otherwise secured to the plate 172.A corrugated sole engaging face 176 of the bight; "portion 166 isnormally urged beyond corrugated sole-engaging faces 178 of the leg orside portions 174 by a pair of springs 180. The sole engaging faces 176,178 have agen'eral form which is substantially complemental to that ofthe beveled surface 68 of the matrix plate36 with l which the faces1'76,"178'cooperateto clamp the margin of the heel-seat portion of thesole against the plate. The above arrangement insures that the margin ofthe heel-seat portion of the sole is tightly pressed against the matrixplate 36 irrespective of varying thicknesses of the margin of theheel-seat portion. I

In order further to insure that the presser member or clamp 40 willapply pressure 'to the lmargin of the heel-seat portion of the sole eventhough such margin varies in thickness, the opposing U-shaped slots 146(Figs. 2 and 7) which receive the plate 172 of the presser member 40 areof a width equal to the thickness of the plate :172 at their forwardends and flare in width rear-,

wardly from their forward ends.- Such a-construction permits the plate172 to pivot around its forward edge. The presser member orclamp 40 isinserted in the housing 144 from the rear and may be moved forwardlyuntil an upstanding flange 186 of the plate 172 engages the rear faceof-the housing 144, the presser member 40' beingheld against rearwardmovement with re-' spect'to the housing 144 through a spring-pressedplunger 1'88 carried by the housing and engagwardly, the plate 172 rocksabout its forward edge to force the forward parts of the leg portions174 into engagement with the marginxof the heel-seat portion which ispositioned adjacent to the breast line 52. The bight portion 166 thenswings about the pin 168 to compress the springs 180 and upon continueddownward movement of the sleeve 130 the rear parts of the leg portions174 are swung downwardly about the forward end of the plate 172 underpressure of the forward parts of the leg portions 174, thereby to causeleg portions which are positioned rearwardly of the forward end of theplate 172 to be pressed against the margin of the heelseat portion ofthe sole.

Other forms of presser member 192, 194 (Figs. 18 and 16, respectively)may be used in place of the presser member 40. The construction andoperation of the presser members 192, 194 will be explained in detailafter the illustrated machine has been more fully described.

As above stated, in order that the sole will not be substantiallydistorted forwardly of the breast line 52 during the heel-seat fittingoperation, the illustrated machine is provided with mechanism foroperating the shoulder-forming cutters or knives 42 after the pressermember 40 has clamped the margin of the heel-seat portion of the soleagainst the matrix plate 36 but be fore the bulger 46 has forced thecentral part of the heel-seat portion through the opening 38.

The illustrated shank portions 196' (Fig. 10) of the-shoulder-formingknives 42 are of cylin-' drical shape and have a radius of curvaturecorresponding substantially to'that of'the breast edges 44 of the matrixplate 36 past which theknives 42 are moved. As above stated, such anarrangement is suitable for fitting the heel-seat portions of soles forthe reception of Cuban heels. It will be understood, however, that inorder to fit the heel-seat portions of soles of shoes for the receptionof Louis heels the plate 36' may be replaced by a plate the forwardedges of which extend at right angles to the vertical central plane 124of the plate, and shoulderforming knives the cutting edges of which liein a single plane may be substituted for the curved shoulder-formingknives 42 above described.

The shank portions 196 (Figs. 10 and 11) of the knives 42 are providedwith recesses shaped and arranged to receive projecting pins 198 securedto blocks 200 which are slidably mounted in a curved guideway 202 of acarrier head 2'04 and are spaced at opposite sides of and at equaldistances from the vertical central plane 124 (Fig. 8) of the matrixplate 36. The blocks 200 are mounted for equal and opposite adjustmentrelatively to the plane 124 by turning a screw 206 journaled in a clampplate 208 of the carrier head 204 and including right and left threadedportions which are in threaded relation with trunnions 210,respectively, carried by the blocks 200. Before adjusting the blocks 200toward and. away from the central plane 124 along the guideway 262 theclamp plate 208, which is shaped to engage the rear face of the shankportions 166 of the knives 42 near pins 198, is released from bindingengagement with the knives 42 by turning a screw 212, after which theoperator rotates the screw 206 in order accurately to position theknives 42 widthwise of the matrix plate 36 and then turns the set screw212 to cause the clamp plate 208 to bind. the knives 42 in adjustedposition.

In order to vary the lowermost point of travel of the shoulder-formingknives 42 the carrier head 204 is mounted for vertical adjustment withrespect to a block 214 which is secured through screws 216 to anoperating slide 218 (Figs. 1 and 2). To effect such adjustment theforward face of the block 214 is provided with a dove-tailed slidewayshaped to receive a correspondingly shaped dove-tailed projection of thecarrier head 204. The carrier head 204 may be adjusted along theguideway of the block 214 by loosening the screws 226 upon which washers221 are mounted and which are in threaded relation with the block 214and pass through slots 222 formed in an upstanding flange of the carrierhead 264.

In order to insure that the adjustment between the carrier head 204 andthe block 214 will not be changed during the downward movement of theknives 42, a thrust pin 224 is adjustably secured in the block 214 andhas its lower end in engagement with a face 226 of the carrier head 204.

When it is desired to change to Louis work the carrier head 204,together with the shoulderforming knives 42 and the block 214, may bereadily removed from the machine by removing the screws 216 whichconnect the block 214 to a projecting arm 228 of the operating slide218. By providing such an arrangement the operator can quickly replacethe knife carrier head 204 after it has been removed from the machine inits former position, without having to adjust the shoulder-formingknives 42 with repect to the carrier head.

The operating slide 218 (Figs. 1 and 2) is mounted for reciprocationalong a guideway 230 of a guide 232 which is pivotally mounted at itslower end upon an eccentric pin 234 (Fig. 2) and is provided with athreaded recess 236 (Figs. 2 and 22) which may be moved into registrywith one of a plurality of openings 238 formed in the main frame 56. Theguide 232 is clamped in adjusted position relatively to the main frame56 by a screw 237 which passes through one of the openings 238 and isconstructed for reception within the threaded recess 236. By providingthe above arrangement, the path of reciprocation of the shoulder-formingknives 42 can readily be changed in accordance with the angle to beformed between the hee1-breast receiving shoulders 34 and the plane ofthe sole. A gib 242 of the guide member 232 forms the bearing surfacefor one side of the operating slide 218.

The eccentric pin 234 is formed integrally with a shaft 240 which iscarried by and is rotatably adjustable in the main frame. The axis ofthe shaft 240 if continued would extend substantially along the breastedges 44 of the matrix plate 36. By turning the shaft 240 the operatorcan control the path of movement of the shoulder-forming knives 42 andthereby so position the guide 232 that the knives will move past thebreast edges 44 of the matrix plate 36.

In order to operate the presser member 46 and the bulger 46, a head 244(Figs. 1 and 2) adjustably secured to the rod 134 is linked to a lever246 pivotally mounted on the main frame and connected through a link 248to another link 250 which is pivot-ally mounted upon a pin 252 carriedby the main frame. erated by a rod 254 which is lengthwise adjustableand carries a safety spring 256 constructed to yield before a forcesufficient to strain the parts of the bulger-operating mechanism isimparted to the rod 254. Pivotally connected to the lower end of the rod254 is an angular plate 258 (Figs. 1 and 3) which is pivotally connectedto a shaft 260 of the main frame and is initially operated by a link 262connected to a treadle 264. The treadle is normally held in a raisedposition by a spring 265. By the use of the treadle 264 the operator isable to control the presser member 40 during the initial clamping of thesole against the matrix plate 86. In order to force the sole, which hasbeen clamped by the treadle 264, through the U-shaped opening 38 and toexert a secondary clamping pressure against the margin of the sole uponthe matrix plate 36 preparatory to operating the heel-seat reducing ortongueforming knife 48, the illustrated machine is provided withpower-operated mechanism which is thrown into operation by the treadle264.

As the treadle 264 is lowered a link 266, the

lower end of which is pivoted to the treadle, causes a bell-crank lever268, which is pivotally mounted upon a stud 270 of the plate 258, torock in a counterclockwise direction and to swing a lever 272 rearwardlyuntil a step 274 formed at the upper end of the lever 272 is positionedunder an arm 276 keyed to the shaft 260. The bellcrank lever 268operates the arm 272 through a rod 278 which is pivotally connected tothe forward end of the bell-crank lever 268 and carries a spring 280 therear end of which engages an extension 282 of the arm 272. The shoulder274 of the arm 272 swings rearwardly into position just before a pin 284secured to the treadle lever 264 is lowered against the pressure of aspring 285 into engagement with a trip lever 286 which is normally heldin a raised position by a spring 287 and releases a one-revolutionclutch (not shown) for setting in motion a two-groove cam 288 mountedupon a drive shaft 290. It will be noted that the spring 285 normallyretains the pin 284 against the upper end of a groove 289 (Fig. 3)formed in the link 262 until the margin of the heel-seat portion of thesole has been initially clamped against the matrix plate 36 and thatupon continue-d downward movement of the treadle 264 the pin 284 ismoved to the bottom of the groove 289. In order to insure that the step274 is held in engagement with the arm 276 while the heel-seat portionof the sole is distorted, the lever 272 is swung with considerable forceinto its rearward position through the spring 280.

Power is supplied to the shaft 290 through a belt-driven pulley 292.Rotation of the cam 288 causes an arm 294, which is attached to theshaft 266 and is provided with a cam roll 296 shaped and arranged forengagement within a cam groove 298, to swing downwardly and thusv 42vare set in motion by the cam 288 before the bulger 46 is operated by thecam. As the treadle 264 is lowered by foot pressure the presser member40 and the bulger 46 are moved to positions illustrated in Fig. 4 andthe step 2'74 is swung to a position beneath but spaced from the arm276. Upon further downward movement of the treadle 264 against thepressure of spring 285 the lever 286 is tripped to set into motion thecam 2'88. Movement of the cam 283 is immediately imparted to theshoulder-forming knives 42 which start to move toward the crease plate36. As the shoulder-forming knives 42 move past the forward edges 44 ofthe crease plates, the arm 2'76 engages the step 2'74 and lowers thebulger 46 and continues to move the shoulder forming knives 42downwardly with the bulger until the knives extend approximatelyone-eighth of an inch below the lower surface of the matrix plate 36, asshown in Fig. 5.

The lost-motion in the bulger-operating mechanism due to the providingof a gap between the step 274 and the arm 2'76 determines the lead ofthe shoulder-forming knives 42 over the bulger 46.

It will be understood that the size of the gap may be varied to increaseor decrease the amount of lead of the shoulder-forming cutter 42 overthe bulger by forming the step 274 upon a removable abutment 275, thelever 272 being constructedand arranged to receive interchangeably oneof a plurality of abutments of different shapes. The step 274 may, ifdesirable, be mounted for adjustment relatively to the lever 272.

As above stated, it is sometimes necessary to 'exert three thousandpounds pressure in distorting the central part of the heel-seat portionof a thick sole which is not in temper. Accordingly, during each cycleof operation of the machine the cylindrical housing 152 is moved againstthe bearing portion 132 of the main frame which serves as a stop tolimit the downward movement of the bulger 46. By driving the bulgerthrough the spring 256 the operating parts which are used to distort theheel-seat portionof the sole are not strained when the cylindricalhousing 152 engages the stop 132.

The tongue-forming cutter 48 is secured by mechanism which will later bedescribed, to a slide 302 (Fig. 2) mounted for movement forwardly andrearwardly of the machine along a guideway 304 of the main frame. Theslide 302 is operated by a link 306 pivotally connected to a bell-cranklever 308 positioned upon a pin 310 secured to the main frame, theforward end of the lever 308 being pivotally connected to a link 312having at its lower end a cam follower 314 (Fig. 1) shaped and arrangedto engage within a camway 316 of the cam 288.

The illustrated cutting edge of the knife 48 (Fig. 15) is incurved tocorrespond to the curvature of the rear faces of the shank portions 196(Fig. 10)

rier 318 (Fig. 15) having an undercut slot shaped to receivea shankportion 322 of the knife and carrying a screw 324. The knife 48 may beadjusted relatively to the carrier 318 by loosening a set screw 326 andturning the screw 324 which is in threaded relation with a block 328having a depending portion shaped to fit in an opening 330 of the shankportion 322 of the knife. After effecting such adjustment the set screw326 is tightened to clamp the knife 48 to the carrier 318, The lateralportions 332 of the carriage 318 are constructed and arranged forreception in correspondingly shaped guideways formed in a transverselyextending lug 334 of the operating slide 302, the carrier 318 beingsecured against movement lengthwise of the guideways by a. screw 336carried by the transversely extending lug 334 and constructed forreception within a threaded opening 338 of the carrier 318.

The heel-seat reducing or tongue-forming knife 48 (Fig. 6) forces theheel end of the shoe away from the matrix plate 36 as it reduces theheel-seat portion of the sole and causes the shoe progressively to pivotabout the heel-breast line 52 of the sole. When the heel-breastreceiving shoulders 34 are formed prior to reducing the heel-seatportion of the sole it will be clear, as above explained, that since theheel-seat portion of the sole is held against movement by its marginwhich is to be removed from the sole, there is only a thin strip ofuncut marginal material to hold the sole and the shoe from being movedforwardly as the tongue-forming cutter 48 arrives at a position adjacentto the breast line 52. Accordingly, when the cutter 48 is about asixteenth of an inch away from the previously formed heelbreastreceiving shoulders the forward pressure of the tongue-forming cutter48, especially when such cutter is dull, causes the U-shaped chiptrimmed from the heel-seat portion of the sole to be torn from the solealong the lateral portions of the base of the tongue 32. When theoperator does not permit the shoe to pivot as above described there is atendency for the U-shaped" In order to insure that the chip is notpulled from the sole as above described, the shoulderforming knives 42of the illustrated machine move approximately an eighth of an inch belowthe bottom face of the matrix plate 36 and are temporarily held in suchposition until the tongue-forming knife 48 has removed the U- shapedchip 340 (Fig. 21) from the heel-seat portion of the sole. Theshoulder-forming knives 42, which serve as supports about which the shoepivots as the tongue-forming knife 48 approaches the heel-breast line ofthe sole, prevent the shoe from being moved forwardly by thetongue-forming cutter 48 and serve as anvils against which thetongue-forming cutter acts, thereby insuring that clean-cut dihedralangles are formed where the lateral margins of the reduced heel-seatportion of the sole join the respective heel-breast receiving shoulders34.

In order to dispose of the U-shaped chip 340, which after the heel-sealfitting operation remains on the matrix plate 36, the illustratedmachine is provided with an ejector 344 (Fig. 2) which is mounted forswinging movement upon the screw 138 carried by the bearing housing 132and automatically moved forwardly the rod 134 is raised, thereby forcingthe chip 340 off the matrix plate 36. The ejector 344 is normally heldin its rearward position shown in Fig. 2 bya spring 346, the extent ofrearward movement of the ejector being limited by engagement

